Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the positive comments the Deputy made in respect of some elements of the Estimates. He is correct that, in December 2022, a contract was awarded to Airbus Defence and Space for the provision of a new fixed-wing military transport aircraft for the Defence Forces. The Airbus C295 is highly versatile, as the Deputy said. It will be a dedicated asset to support the Defence Forces military airlift transport requirements and provide a wide contingent capability, enabling the Air Corps to provide logistical support and transport of troops and equipment, medical evacuation, an air ambulance and a general utility role. I will not go through the costs, which are significant, but delivery is expected in 2025.

My apologies, the cost calculation has been done and it is about €68 million, which is significant.

The inland patrol vessels, IPVs, were purchased from New Zealand for €26 million on a government-to-government basis. They will be transported to Ireland in quarter 2 of this year, following a programme of works to restore the vessels to Lloyd's Register classification standards and to fit Naval Service equipment. The Deputy would like the replacement to be named Shackleton. We will feed in that idea. I have no doubt other names will come forward as well.

On the figure of between €29 million and €59 million for built infrastructure, I acknowledge the Deputy's point. As we increase from a lower base, capacity will be needed to deliver the capital and get the projects done. We will be seeking to increase that progressively.

I did not read all the articles about the pay savings issue but certainly it was done in the last Estimates process as part of negotiations between the two Ministers last year. However, it must be said the broad thrust is to increase the budget overall. I will not argue the perspective of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, but I presume its argument was that we were not dealing with real numbers at nine and a half, compared with what the reality was in real terms. As I said, the ceiling is in place so we can grow that without any negotiations. We must fulfil the commission's recommendations. There is a clear Government commitment to increase investment in the Defence Forces both from a capital perspective and the current perspective.

I will take on board the Deputy's suggestion about apprentices. I am keen on apprentices. In recent years, the Government has made a lot of progress on apprenticeships generally. I believe there has been a 40% increase in the number of apprenticeships in the construction sector. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, has made a lot of progress and is anxious that the public service become stronger on apprenticeships than it is. Some of the State agencies are not as strong as they should be on recruiting apprentices. We certainly should be in the Defence Forces. We will examine what we can do to improve the overall experience and attractiveness of an apprenticeship in the Defence Forces.

The €30 million figure the Deputy referred to is an appropriation-in-aid. The gross Estimate is between €1.2 billion and €1.6 billion. We are still considering the lance corporal issue. Discussions are ongoing with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on a whole range of issues the Deputy referenced. I will take on board what he said about apprenticeships and endeavour to progress it.

I will also look at the Army nurse issue.